


Caprican Wife-Swap

by newnumbertwo



Category: Battlestar Galactica, Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-02
Updated: 2012-08-08
Packaged: 2017-11-14 20:38:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newnumbertwo/pseuds/newnumbertwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Laura has thinky thoughts while reading <i>Girl with the Pegasus Tattoo </i>(hence the warning)</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Title: Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter One  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: don't own them, but I like to play with them.  
A/N: Total AU set 20 years before the fall.  

 

  
  


Caprica City:  20 years before the fall

“I have a surprise for you, Bill, but you probably aren’t going to like it.”

“Nice sell, Carolanne.  I can’t wait to hear what it is now.”

“You know that show _Wife Swap_?”

“Yeah, what about it?  Oh no.  You didn’t.”

“I did.  Don’t worry it won’t be so bad.  You’ll get to see how another woman would do things around here, and I’ll be back in a week.”

“But, this is my leave.  I wanted to spend it with you and the boys--not playing house with some random woman.”

“I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.”

“Fine, but only because I love you so much.”

\----------------

Meanwhile, in another part of Caprica City:

“Laura?”

“Yes, Richard?”

“You’re going to hate me for this.”

“For what?”

“Signing you up for _Wife Swap_.”

“ _Wife Swap?_ You know I can’t stand those shows, and now you’re making me participate in one!”

“I know I’m a terrible husband.”

“Terrible doesn’t even cover it, Mr. Adar.”

“This will help my political career, baby.”

“Oh, well in that case, it’s totally fine.”

“Don’t be sarcastic.  I know you’re pissed; you don’t have to rub it in my face.”

“You owe me for this.”

“You know I’m good for it.”

“I do.”

\------------------------

That night, both wives wrote their manuals for their home, packed their bags for the week, and kissed their children goodnight.

Laura Roslin-Adar wrote:

_As a councilman’s wife and school teacher with two little girls, it is very important to stay organized.  Our lives revolve around what’s written on our calendar, so it is crucial to write everything down.  Richard is very busy with work, so everything in the house depends on me.  At the end of the school day, I pick up the girls and take them to Pyramid practice--my girls, though beautiful and feminine, have very competitive edges.  Kara has hopes to be a professional player when she grows up, or a viper pilot, and Judith (or Judy, as she prefers) shows much promise also.  After practice, we go home.  I make dinner and help the girls with their homework, grade my students’ work, and support Richard when he comes home--He’s usually stressed after a long day.  I go to bed, and start the process all over again in the morning.  Good luck.  I’m sure you’ll be fine.  You won’t have to teach, don’t worry--A substitute has been arranged for the week.  Take care, and I look forward to meeting you in a week._

Carolanne Adama wrote:

_My husband is a viper pilot in the Colonial Fleet, so he’s away much of the year.  I raise our two boys.  I was blessed to have such good boys--Lee and Zak.  I mostly let them run free.  Boys will be boys.  But I’m always there for them when they need me.  Bill’s on  leave now, so he’ll help out.  When he’s home, I take a step back, and let him handle things.  I encourage you do to the same.  I look forward to meeting you at the end of the week.  Good luck.  I’m sure you’ll handle my boys just fine--and Bill._

  
  



	2. Chapter Two

Title: Chapter Two  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: don't own them.

  
  


On the next morning, both wives took their bags and walked into a car ready to take them to their new homes for the week.

When Laura arrived at Bill and Carolanne Adama’s home, she was immediately greeted by two young boys and their father.

“Welcome ma’am.  I’m Lee Adama and this is my younger brother Zak, and this is my daddy.  Did I say that okay, dad?”

“That was perfect, Lee.”  Bill turned to address Laura, “I’m trying to teach my children manners when I’m on leave.”

“It seems like you’re doing very well.  I’m Laura Roslin-Adar.”

“I’m Bill.”

“You mentioned you were on leave?”

“Yeah.  I’m a viper pilot in the Colonial Fleet.”

“That must be really exciting for you.  My daughter Kara wants to either be a viper pilot or a professional pyramid player when she grows up.  I can’t wait to tell her about you.”

“You’re very supportive of her dreams.”

“That’s part of my job as a parent--give them the space to discover themselves and help them grow as people.”

“I like that philosophy.  I’ll have to remember it.  Sometimes I worry that I pressure my boys too much.”

“Well, let’s get inside.  I’m sure your wife left me careful instructions that I should read, and then we can decide about dinner.”

“Don’t worry about dinner, Laura.  I usually handle things around here when I’m on leave.  Give Carolanne a break, you know.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!  Thank you.”

“We’ll see how thankful you are once you taste my cooking.”

“Not having to make it automatically adds to the taste.  Didn’t you know that?”

“I do now.  I’ll give you privacy to unpack and read my wife’s note.”

“Thank you.”

Laura read Carolanne’s note, thinking it was pretty vague and didn’t really tell her anything about the family she’d be living with for a week.  I guess I’ll figure them out on my own, she thought.

\---------------------

When Carolanne arrived at the Adar home, Richard, who actually took the afternoon off to meet her when he hasn’t taken time off in years, and the two girls met her at the door.

Carolanne got excited to see she’d get to have daughters for a week, and she’d get to see what life was like with a real professional--instead of someone who gets to play with planes all day.

She read Laura’s note.  Organized much, she thought.  Laura at least has a husband who’s there more than three months a year.  I wonder how she’s handling Bill, she mused.  

Carolanne decided she should start getting a meal plan together since, according to the note, she was responsible for everything that happened in the house.

\-------------------

“Was my wife’s note helpful?”

“Yeah,” Laura lied.  “She made it clear how much she loves her boys.”

“That’s nice.  Dinner’ll be ready soon.”

“Are you sure I can’t help?  I’m not used to sitting around.”

“Then you should think of it as a vacation.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had one of those.  I’m not sure how to act.”

“I know what you mean.  What do you do that keeps you so busy?”

“My husband’s a councilman, and he’ll probably run for Mayor in the next election.  We have two daughters Kara and Judith, and I’m a teacher.”

“Wow! That’s a lot of work for you, I’d bet.  I mean you obviously support your children’s dreams.  Do you support your husband’s as well?”

“Of course.  What kind of wife would I be if I didn’t?”

“Indeed.”  Bill’s tone shifted to one of disgust or sadness. Laura couldn’t be sure which, but it didn’t sound good.

“Is something wrong, Bill?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Tell me, please.”

“I found divorce papers, already signed, in a drawer in my closet.”

“How recent are they?”

“Last week.”

“Maybe she changed her mind.”

“Or maybe she signed up to get away from me for a week to figure out how to break the news to me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You’re right.  I’m sorry.”

“I think Richard wants to leave me.”

“Why?”

“I’m not as young anymore.  He spends so much time at work, but I’m pretty sure he’s getting personal with his assistants.”

“Then he’s an idiot.”

“So is she if she leaves you.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Get custody of the girls.  Have an amicable divorce that allows us to be friends.  Hurting his career would ultimately hurt mine.”

“I suppose a mayor could make hell for his teacher ex-wife.”

“That he could, Bill.”

“What can I do to help you feel better?”

“Let me help with dinner for starters.  Tell me all about life as a viper jock as we work.  Tell me about your boys and how proud you are of them, what they like, and stuff like that, and I’ll tell you all about my girls.”

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Make me go from wanting to put my fist through a wall to smiling.”

“Must be the teacher in me.”

“That must be it.”

Bill showed Laura around the kitchen.  He told her his basic meal plan, and from there, Laura knew exactly what to do.  They worked together flawlessly--like they’ve been doing so for years.  They took turns talking about their jobs and their kids.  They both avoided the topic of their spouses, and before they knew it, dinner was ready, so they called the boys in to eat.

“What grades are you boys in?”

“I’m in first and I love it!”  Zak said.

“Third,” Lee said with less enthusiasm than his brother.

“First and third.  My daughters are in first and third too.”

“Cool,” Lee said.

“Do you boys have homework?”

“My mom says homework is optional,” Zak said.

“That’s interesting.”

“She’s not in charge this week boys; Laura and I are, and I’m going to have to insist you do your homework, but we’ll help you with it.  Right, Laura?”

“Absolutely.”

“But it’s optional,”  Lee said.

“Sometimes, it’s good to do extra work; it helps you grow as a person.  Do you think your daddy just happened to become a great pilot, or I just happened to become a good teacher?  No.  We worked really hard and put a lot of energy into our work until we were the best we could be, and we keep working because what we do is important, and we’re proud of our work.”

“Is that true, dad?” Zak asked.

“You bet.  Becoming a viper jock is a lot of work, and becoming a good teacher takes years of schooling and training.  But we make a difference.”

“Well then, I’ll do my homework every night so I can be my best,” Zak said.

“Me too!” 

“Great.  Why don’t you boys play for a bit, and we’ll clear the table.  Then we’ll call you in to work on homework.”

Once the boys were out of the room, Bill and Laura could talk about the turn of events.

“You’re very good with them.”

“It’s my job, remember?”

“No.  It’s more than that.  You’re a remarkable mother as well as a teacher.”

“Thank you.  I don’t think you’re so bad yourself.”

“Now I have another reason to be mad at my wife.”

“The homework thing?”

“Yeah.  The homework thing.”

“Not to defend her or anything, but a lot of parents take her position toward homework.  Some teachers get carried away with their assignments, and parents end up doing the homework for their kids in addition to all their other responsibilities.  Some parents choose not to be bothered with it.”

“But what does that teach kids?”

“I know.  Welcome to my world.”

“Thanks for using me as their role model by the way.”

“You were always their role model, Bill.  Your boys adore you, and they’re so proud of you.”

“Carolanne has never said that to me.”

“I’m not Carolanne.”

“No.  You’re Laura Roslin-Adar, and that stupid prick is lucky to have you.”

“Hey!  No attacking the spouses--even if I do agree with you at the moment.”

“Sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“You’re right.”

“I usually am, yes.”

“So how do you want to handle this?  Maybe I can take Zak and you can take Lee.”

“That sounds good, Husker.”

“How did you know my call sign?”

“I saw a picture of you next to your viper.  I won’t call you that anymore if you don’t want.  It seemed appropriate since we’re doing a mission together.”

“You can call me Husker anytime you want.  Can I give you a call sign?”

“Sure.”

“Sunset?”

“Fine, but why?”

“Your hair.”

“Okay then.  Captain Husker and Lt. Sunset.”

“You know you don’t combine ranks with call signs.  And how did you know I was a captain?”

“I think Captain Husker and Lt. Sunset has a nice ring to it.  And I didn’t know you were a captain; I guessed you’d have more rank than a Lt.  If any nugget gets to be a Lt., then surely a veteran of the Cylon War should have a higher rank.”

“How’d you know I fought in the Cylon War?”

“I told you my daughter Kara wants to join the fleet.  She studies all there is to know about vipers and viper pilots.  She’s especially interested in Cylon War pilots, and you’re her favorite.  But I didn’t know your rank because you’ve obviously been promoted since  your bio was last updated.  How’s it feel to know you’re in military history books?”

“I didn’t even know.”

“Let’s just say my daughter hasn’t even met you, and you’re a major influence in her life.”

“Well, Lt. Sunset, you know more about the military than my wife does.  That’s for sure.”

“It’s hard not to when my kid’s yammering on about it 24/7.”

“What do you say, we attack homework with our kids?”

“Let’s do it.”  

The fact that Bill referred to his sons as theirs wasn’t lost on her, but she chose to ignore it as a slip of the tongue.  They called the boys back into the kitchen, had them empty their book bags on the table, and look at what they had for homework.  Bill worked with Zak, while Laura worked with Lee.  After an hour, both boys had all their homework done.  They were allowed to play for another half-hour before brushing their teeth and going to bed.

After the boys had gone to bed, Laura and Bill talked some more.

“What do you usually do at night?”

“You mean after I grade all my students’ work, help my daughters with their homework, clean up from dinner, and prepare for the next day?”

“Yeah.  After all that.”

“I usually read until I fall asleep.”

“What do you like to read?”

“Mysteries mostly.”

“Ah.  Have you read _Dark Day_?”

“I’m sorry to say I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet.”

“I highly recommend it.”

“I’ll read it next.  I’m working on _The Girl with the Pegasus Tattoo_ right now.”

“How is that?”

“Not bad.  Kind of wordy.  A lot of description.  But it’s compelling and the characters are interesting.”

“You want to have a reading lounge?”

“Sure.  I’ll run up and get my book; I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t stay away too long.”

“Ha. You tease.”

“Not really.”

Laura retrieved her book and returned to the living room, sitting beside Bill on the sofa.  Bill had already chosen his book from his shelf and had started reading.  For the next hour or so, they read without uttering a word to each other, but they felt connected nonetheless.  

“I’ve had a long day, Bill.  I’m going to call it a night.  We have to get up early to get the kids to school.”

“Right.  I’m going up too.  Goodnight, Laura.  I’m glad that of all the women I could have had come here, I got you.”

“Thanks.  I’m glad I was sent here, of all the homes I could have been sent.”

“You didn’t sign up to do this did you?”

“No.  It was all my husband’s idea.  He sprung it on me after I came home from work; isn’t that nice?”

“Try coming home for shore leave after months in space and finding out you’ll be ‘married’ to a complete stranger for a week.”

“To surprises and pleasant surprises, then.”

“Very pleasant surprises.”

“Goodnight then.”

“Goodnight.”

  
  



	3. Wandering Minds and Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura has thinky thoughts while reading  _Girl with the Pegasus Tattoo_ (hence the warning)

Title: Wandering Minds and Hearts  
Word Count: 300  
Rating: T (Warning for reference to sexual violence--not involving our heroes in any way)  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
A/N: Set during the end of Chapter Two of Caprican Wife-Swap  
Summary: Laura has thinky thoughts while reading  _Girl with the Pegasus Tattoo_ (hence the warning)

  
  


Bill and Laura were sitting side by side on his sofa reading.  Laura was reading _The Girl with the Pegasus Tattoo,_ and Bill was re-reading _Dark Day_ , which was one of his favorite books, so he read it frequently—about once a year.  They had been reading for about an hour, relaxing after a long day.  Neither of them said anything since they had sat down, but they were comfortable in each other’s presence: It was nice, and it was easy.  They didn’t have to work at it; it just was.  Laura had never felt that kind of connection with anyone—certainly not her husband.  She wished for the thousandth time that she had listened to her mother.  She should have been patient instead of marrying the first serious boyfriend she had.  But then, she wouldn’t have her girls—she shuddered to think what her life would be like without her beautiful daughters.  So, things were better as they were.  Bill showed her what a real man was like, and she’d never settle for less again.

These were strange thoughts to be having while reading about a protagonist from Sagittaron, a colony which was evidently slow to adopt protections for women.  According to the author, the percentage of sexual assaults throughout the colony was alarmingly high.  As perpetually angry with her soon-to-be ex-husband (as far as she was concerned anyway) as she was, she knew that if he became President of the Twelve Colonies, violence against women would end almost entirely.  In the meantime, she was reading a passage about Lisbeth tattooing a man’s crimes across his chest and stomach.  There was someone who could look after herself!  Laura didn’t know whether to be appalled or to cheer for the small girl with the unbreakable spirit.  

  
  



	4. Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carolanne spends her first night in the Adar household.

Rating: K  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Summary: Carolanne spends her first night in the Adar household.

  
  


In the Adar house, Carolanne finished unpacking and returned downstairs, intending to start dinner.  She found Richard on the living room sofa.

“I suppose I should go in the kitchen and prepare dinner.”

“Or we could just order a pizza and let you relax.”

Carolanne couldn’t be sure if it was for her benefit, or his lack of faith in her abilities.  But she didn’t really care either way.  So she decided to accept it as part of Richard’s hospitality.

“We could do that,” she said with a smile.

“Was Laura’s note helpful?”

“Oh yes.  She’s obviously very organized.  The note was very informative.”

“Good.”

“She has big shoes to fill.”

“Yes she does.”

Richard placed the order for the pizza, which was complimentary because of his prominence in the city.  When it arrived, half an hour later, Carolanne, Richard, Judy, and Kara sat at the table together and ate.  The newcomer to the family took the opportunity to get to know the children she’d be caring for that week.

“Your mother says you girls like to play pyramid.”

“Oh yes!  I love pyramid.  I want to be a professional pyramid player one day.  Either that or a viper pilot,” Kara said.

“I like pyramid too, but I’m not as good as Kara.  Mommy says I take more after her; she’s teaching me to read big books,” Judy said.

“That’s great.  You know, Kara, my husband’s a viper pilot.”

“Really?  That’s so cool!”

“For a young person, it is, yes.”

“I studied  all about the Colonial Fleet.  My mom and I read all of the books and information we can find about it.  I even have a favorite pilot.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  I like William Adama the most.  He set so many records during the Cylon War.  I wanna be just like him when I grow up.”

“That’s my husband.”

“Oh my Gods!  What’s he like?”

“He’s aged a bit since the war.  But he’s still in the fleet.  A captain now.  He still flies his viper, but he’s taking more leadership roles.  He’ll probably be commanding his own battlestar in a few years.”

“Maybe he can be my commander when I grow up.”

“Only if you join the fleet.  I thought you wanted to play pyramid.”

“My mom says I should always have a backup plan, and that there’s no reason I can’t do more than one thing in my life.”

“Your mother is very smart.”

“She’s a teacher too; just like my grandma was.”

“It runs in the family then.”

“Yeah.  I think Judy would make a good teacher.  She was named after grandma.”

“That would be nice.”

Throughout the entire conversation, Richard remained silent, eating his pizza.  He looked like he was a million miles away, and he couldn’t be bothered with his daughters’ dreams or his guest’s attempt to learn about them.

After dinner was over, the girls automatically retrieved their book bags and brought them to the table (after both girls worked together to clear the table, load the dishwasher, and wipe the table with a clean rag).  

“Miss Carolanne, would you help us with our homework?”

“Okay.  I usually tell my boys homework is optional.”

“My mom says homework helps us be our best, and we always try to be our best in this house.”

“Well then, I’ll definitely help.”

While Carolanne and the girls worked through their assignments, Richard disappeared into his office.  Nobody would see him again for the rest of the night.  

After their work was done, the girls went into their rooms to relax before bedtime, and Carolanne went to her guest room to finish unpacking, prepare for the next day, and finally, sleep.

  
  



	5. Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill and Laura work together to get the boys to school and plan their day.  Carolanne is on her best behavior at the Adar house, knowing cameras are watching her.

Rating: K+  
Word Count: 1,216  
Disclaimer: don't own them; they own me.  
Summary: Bill and Laura work together to get the boys to school and plan their day.  Carolanne is on her best behavior at the Adar house, knowing cameras are watching her.

 

  
  


Laura rose early the next morning.  She was always an early riser—never slept later than six, except on the weekends when she slept in till seven.  She wanted to make sure the boys—and Bill—had a good breakfast that morning.  When she padded downstairs and into the kitchen she was surprised to see she wasn’t the first one up.

“You’re up early, Sunset.”

“Not as early as you, Husker.”

“Military training.  I’m ingrained to wake up at five every morning.  What’s your excuse?”

“Running a household is kind of like being in the military.”

“It is when you do it, anyway.  I already made coffee.  How do you take it?”

“Sweet and light.”

“Like you like your men?”

“No. Just my coffee.  I like my men like I like my tea:  dark and sweet.”  

Bill couldn’t tell if she was being serious or not.  Her husband wasn’t dark, and he didn’t seem to be sweet.  So, he just let it go.  “I’ll have to remember that.  Here you go.”

“Thanks.  What do the boys usually have for breakfast?”

Bill’s face turned, and Laura knew she’d struck a nerve.  “From what I could gather from the boys, it’s about noon before Carolanne wakes up, so they usually get cereal, and walk to school alone.”

Laura remained stoic and simply said, “Not this week.”

“It’s okay to react, Laura.  I can barely keep my anger contained myself.”

“It’s not my place to judge another wife and mother.  So she does things differently; that doesn’t mean she’s wrong, just different.”  That seemed to appease him; his face lost its intensity, softening as he looked at the woman they’d be living with for the week.

“Well, she’s not you.  That’s for sure.”

“I’m not such a great prize.”

“Have you seen yourself lately?”

“Hmm.  Why don’t I make breakfast?  Do you think the smell of eggs and bacon cooking will wake them up?”

“That oughta do the trick.”

“You have some time if you want to take a shower.  I’ll eat fast and get in next.  Then the boys can take turns.  We’ll take them to school, and then I want to go to the store.  Load up the fridge for the week.”

“Can I join you on this excursion?”

“Of course.  I’ll need you to tell me what you and the boys like.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Don’t you outrank me?”

“Laura, you’d outrank me in any universe.”

“Get in the shower, Adama.”

“Yes, Ma’am.  Right away, Ma’am.  Anything you say, Ma’am.”

\---------------------

By the time Bill got out of his shower, Laura had breakfast ready.  Just like she predicted, the boys awakened as the smell of bacon and eggs wafted up the stairs.  The energetic children bounded into the kitchen.

“Oh boy!  Bacon and eggs for breakfast!”  Lee was excited since he was the one who usually prepared Zak and his breakfast in the morning.

“Yup.  And toast too.  A good breakfast is important for a good day at school.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Your welcome, Lee.  And you can call me Laura.”

“Really?”

“Of course.  That’s my name.  Now, you three enjoy your breakfast.  I’m going to take a quick shower and then you boys need to get in.  Then your father and I are going to take you to school.”

“What about you?  Aren’t you going to eat?”  Zak asked, understanding the importance of food better than anyone.

“I ate while I was cooking, Zak.  But thanks.”

“Laura, really, this is...”

“It’s just breakfast, Bill.  Now eat.  All of you.  We have a busy morning.”

“You heard the woman, boys.  Chow down.”

Laura couldn’t keep the smile from forming on her face.  She wore it throughout her shower, and it remained when she reemerged downstairs.

“What are you smiling about?”

“My boys.”

“I hope you never stop.”

“Never stop what?”

“Smiling.”

“The boys getting ready?”

“Yeah.  You know you’ve won them over completely, right?”

“Good.  My plan of worlds domination is making progress--one family at a time.”

\------------------------

Meanwhile, in the Adar house, the alarm clock in Carolanne’s room went off at six.  Grumbling all the way downstairs, she went into the cabinet in the kitchen, retrieved a box of cereal from the shelf, put it on the table, with two bowls and two spoons, and wrote a little note:

_Today, you girls are having cereal for breakfast.  Wake me up when you’re ready for school, and I’ll drive you._

Her usual style wasn’t to get up at all and let her boys walk to school, but that wouldn’t look good on film.  She could justify teaching the girls a lesson in independence.

After writing her note, she went back upstairs to sleep a few more hours.

\-----------------

At 6:30, the girls went downstairs, forgetting that their mother was gone for the week--and the woman taking her place was decidedly not their mother.  Kara went to the table first, and read the note.  Because her mother taught her to listen to adults--but not to be afraid to question them if she thought they were wrong about something--Kara decided that Judy and she could deal with this woman for the week.  The girls ate their cereal, got ready for school, and went into Carolanne’s room to wake her up.

Soon, the girls were safely dropped off at school, and Carolanne had the house to herself.  She lounged around the house and watched the vid screen until it was time to pick up the girls.  

They stopped for fast food on the way to pyramid practice.  After pyramid practice, the girls insisted on doing their homework, which meant Carolanne had to help them.  The woman was ever mindful of the cameras following them.  She wanted to be on her best behavior.  Plus, she was the one who signed up to participate; she had no one to blame but herself.

Richard didn’t return home until after the girls had gone to bed.  From the quick glimpse she got of him, before he muttered a quick goodnight and disappeared up the stairs to his room, Carolanne could tell he’d been intimate with someone who clearly wasn’t his wife. She wondered if the cameras picked up on that detail and what the final cut would look like.  Carolanne stored the knowledge of what she’d seen and went up to bed.

\-------------------------------

Both boys were showered and ready in record speed.  They wanted to please their father and impress Laura.  Both boys took to her immediately.  While they both loved their mother, they knew they’d be sad to see Laura leave at the end of the week.

The boys ran downstairs where their father and Laura made sure they had everything they needed for school.  Once both boys were in their jackets and completely packed for the day, the four of them piled into Bill’s car, and he drove them all to school.  Bill parked the car in the lot.  He and Laura walked the boys to their classrooms, giving each of their teachers a quick wave before exiting the building.

“It’s just us, now,” Bill said.

“Yup.”

“To the store?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“You don’t seem too excited.”

“I’m not.  I hate grocery shopping.”

“Something tells me it won’t be so bad today.”

Laura rewarded him with a smile.  “Maybe not.”

  
  


  



	6. Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill and Laura spend their first day together.  They go grocery shopping, compare musical tastes, and continue to bond.

Word Count: ~800  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Summary: Bill and Laura spend their first day together.  They go grocery shopping, compare musical tastes, and continue to bond.

  
  


Laura and Bill got into his station wagon and they started driving to the grocery store.  Bill went to turn on the stereo, but then he remembered he had company.  Laura noticed his hesitation and assured him that whatever he wanted to listen to was fine.

“You’re my guest.  What do you like?”

“I like a lot of things and don’t like a lot of things.  It would be impossible to pin-point my taste, so I don’t try.”

“Fair enough.  My CD’s are in the visor there; choose whatever you want.”

“ _Tonight’s Decision_ sounds interesting.  Dark cover, and what is it with those Gemenon bands spelling everything with a K instead of a C?”

“That’s just how those metal bands do it, I guess.  I got into Katatonia during a difficult time in my life; I’m not sure it’ll be appropriate.”

“I think it’s very appropriate.”

“By all means, then.”

“It’s cute.”

“What?”

“You trying to protect me from music.”

“It’s very powerful stuff.”

“Hmm. I know. _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_ is my favorite, though.”

“I’m protecting you for no reason, then.”

“Like I said, it’s cute.”

“Don’t think anyone has ever called me cute before.”

“I’ve always been different.”

“I like that.”

They let their conversation drop and just listened to the music until they pulled up to the store.

Bill got out first and walked around to open the door for Laura.  She was touched by his chivalric nature; Richard had never showed her such courtesies—even when they were dating.  Then he pulled a cart out of the corral, and they walked into the store together.

They went around the store, discussing what the boys and they liked, loading the cart as they went along.  Laura couldn’t believe it.  She was actually having fun in the grocery store.  There was an interesting moment, though.

One of the fellow shoppers commented how lucky Laura was to have a husband who participated in grocery shopping.  She didn’t exactly have time to correct the woman, and she realized she didn’t want to.  For once in her life, she could really be one of the “lucky women.”  People always wanted to tell her how lucky she was to be married to Richard; she always smiled politely and offered as noncommittal reply as possible.  Nobody ever really wanted to hear the truth anyway; everyone preferred to live with their version of the truth.  Her career as a teacher and her husband’s as a politician had taught her that.  Appearances were everything.  And for the moment, it appeared that Laura and Bill were happily married and enjoying their day together, grocery shopping.  Of all the illusions Laura had been a part of in her life, the one she was involved in with Bill was the nicest.  

After an hour, they were finished shopping.  They paid for their purchases, after a battle ensued.  Laura insisted on paying for at least some of the groceries, knowing they bought more than Carolanne usually does.  Bill said that was ridiculous.  She put her foot down, and he knew not to mess with the fiery woman in front of him.  They agreed to split the bill. The cashier lauded them for having a modern marriage.  Bill and Laura both laughed.

They had loaded the car, and they were driving home sans music.  They rode in silence, neither knowing the appropriate thing to say.  And they were both very glad when they pulled into the Adamas’ driveway.  That meant they had a task, and they could break the awkward tension between them.  

They unloaded the groceries and put them away.  Then the question ‘now what’ hung in the air between them.  There were still several hours before they needed to pick up the boys.  Laura had already come up with a dinner plan, and it wouldn’t take long to prepare, especially with Bill’s help.  They needed a task. Desperately.  

“Laundry,” Bill finally blurted.

“What?”

“I should start the laundry.”

“A man who does laundry?”

“Well, we’ll see what you think after I do it.”

“What can I do?”

“Why don’t you relax.  You’re on vacation, remember?”

“Hmm.  I keep forgetting that.”

“Sit down and read, Sunset!  That’s an order.”

“Sir, yes, sir,” she said, snapping a salute.

“That’s a fine salute, Roslin.  Where’d ya learn that?”

“Kara thought it would be a good idea to practice them.  So we worked on it together till we could both do them perfect.”

“Have a seat.  I’ll be in shortly with iced tea for you.”

“You do laundry and you bring me drinks!”

“That’s right.”

“I could get used to this.”

“Me too.”

  
  



	7. Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura thinks about her life and marriage.  Bill does chores and waits on Laura.  They decide to enjoy things.

Rating: K+  
Word Count: ~500  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Summary: Laura thinks about her life and marriage.  Bill does chores and waits on Laura.  They decide to enjoy things.

  
  


Laura sat on the Adamas’ sofa reading.  Bill was upstairs doing laundry.  She thought about the man she’d be living with for the rest of the week.  Laura couldn’t figure out why Carolanne would possibly want to leave him.  She knew he wasn’t perfect, but he was clearly a loving father and a good man.  And he was doing laundry.  That was something she thought only her father did.  

She had long since given up on finding someone who was as good a man as her father.  None of her dates had ever measured up.  When she met Richard, she knew he wasn’t the kind of man her father was, but he was better than the other men she’d dated up to that point.  Laura fell for his promises and charm, but she never really fell in love with him.  She liked him enough, more than she had liked anyone else, but she didn’t feel what her parents had felt for each other.  But then, Judith had died, and Laura was vulnerable.  Richard swooped right in.  She should have seen through it, but her thoughts were occupied elsewhere.  At that time, it had made sense to be a married woman.  She had gone to college, gotten a job she liked, being married and starting a family was supposed to be the next step.  So she latched onto Richard, and they were married soon after.

Laura thought ending the marriage would be a lot like the beginning had been.  There was a lot of diplomatic discussion and logical arguments when they were courting.  She suspected she’d follow her personal credo that diplomacy was the best strategy in ending the marriage.  Laura realized she had very little feeling about ending the decade long union.  That told her it was the right thing for her to do.  She would raise her girls and continue teaching; that would be enough for her.

Bill had finished with the laundry for the time being.  He had sorted the colors and loaded the washer with the first load.  When he went down into the living room, he saw Laura was deep in thought.  He wanted to give her a few more moments to herself, so he went into the kitchen to fix their teas.  His family lived on iced-tea.  When he was on leave, he always made sure they had two pitchers of it at all times.  Bill poured two glasses and returned to the living room.

He didn’t want to disturb Laura, so he simply sat beside her, placing her glass on the coffee table, on a coaster, of course.  Bill took great pride in the furniture in his home.  He instilled the same pride and respect in his sons.  Bill wasn’t a materialist, but he believed the way people cared for their belongings spoke volumes about their character.  And Bill’s character was one of respect and pride, which extended into his treatment of possessions.  

“That was fast,” Laura said.  She had clearly sensed his presence.

“I put the first load in.  I have an hour or so before its time to flip it.”

“And you made me tea?”

“Yup.”

“Now what?”

“We sit, relax.  I know that’s hard for you, but I think it could be good for you.”

“For you too.”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe we should just enjoy this.”

“I am.”

  
  



	8. Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura and Bill enjoy each other's company.  They pick up the boys from school.  Laura referees Zak and Lee in the car.  Bill and the boys play pyramid, while Laura watches from the kitchen window and finishes dinner.

Title: Caprican Wife-Swap: Chapter Seven  
Rating: K+  
Disclaimer: don't own them.  
Word Count: ~1600  
Summary: Laura and Bill enjoy each other's company.  They pick up the boys from school.  Laura referees Zak and Lee in the car.  Bill and the boys play pyramid, while Laura watches from the kitchen window and finishes dinner.  
A/N: Previous Installments: [Chapter One](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/35926.html), [Chapter Two](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/36943.html), [Wandering Hearts and Minds:  A Drabble set at the end of Chapter Two](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/41698.html) ,[Chapter Three](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/41387.html), [Chapter Four](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/42210.html), [Chapter Five](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/44902.html), [Chapter Six](http://newnumbertwo.livejournal.com/49506.html)

 

  


Laura and Bill managed to learn how to relax.  It took them awhile, though.  Neither had lives that permitted a lot of downtime.  It was hard for them to shake the feeling there were things they needed to do instead of lounging on Bill’s sofa, reading.  So, when the signal for the washer rang, Laura and Bill jumped up to attend to it.  Bill really wanted Laura to relax.  He knew her husband and daughters ran her ragged—even if she never complained about it and enjoyed caring for her girls.

“It’s my house, I’ll do it.”

“You just don’t want me touching your clothes.”

“That’s not true.” It wasn’t.  

“Fine, but I’ll do the next load.”

“Deal.”  In the short time he’d known Laura, Bill learned it was best to compromise with the woman, and he found he didn’t mind it so much.  

After that, they took turns with the laundry.  And by the time they had to pick up the boys, they washed, dried, and folded each load.

Bill took the last turn, leaving her to relax just a while longer.  When he approached the living room he felt compelled to joke with Laura; although, he wasn’t sure how it would go over.

“Alright, relaxation time is over.  Get your fat, lazy ass off that couch, Roslin.”

“Yes, sir. Right away, sir. Anything you say, sir,” she said between giggles.

Bill was relieved Laura could laugh at Bill’s idea of a joke.  He knew his sense of humor wasn’t inline with most of humanity’s.  Only Saul seemed to “get” his jokes.  It seemed like he could add Laura to that very short list.  

They left to pick up the boys.  Much of the awkwardness from before had disappeared.  They rode in silence, but it was comfortable.  Laura was happy to think she had found a friend in Bill Adama.  

Friends were hard to come by in recent years. Most of her friends had also been Cheryl’s and Sandra’s.  After the accident, things became strained.  It was so hard for Laura to enjoy much of anything.  Her friends tried to be supportive and understanding, but that had mostly come through in ultimatums and forced blind dates.  After the awkward date with Sean, Laura was hesitant to see anyone else, but her friends insisted.  That was how she ended up with Richard initially.  Then her mother got sicker, and Laura clung closer to Richard.  Between him and her mother’s illness and eventual death, Laura didn’t have much time for friends anymore.  Then she was caught up in being a wife and mother—and supporting Richard’s political aspirations.  And, of course, her friends had started forming their own families.  Laura’s connections became reduced to the occasional phone call and a Girl’s Night Out maybe once a year—and Richard had usually put stipulations on those: Laura had certain expectations to meet as a politician’s wife.  

_“It’s not that I don’t trust you, baby.  But some of those friends of yours…” he’d said._

Laura chose not to bother reminding him that those friends were the reason they were together in the first place.  She hadn’t missed the irony that it was his behavior that could jeopardize his career; she just didn’t dwell on that fact.

Laura hadn’t realized she was lonely.  She supposed she was too busy to notice.  Her friendship with Bill was giving her something she didn’t even know she needed.  She was pretty sure they’d be unable to see each other after the week’s end.  She’d miss him and the boys.

They picked up the boys.  Lee and Zak plopped in the back seat of the station wagon, after flinging their book bags in the hatch.  

“Hello, boys.  How was your day?” Laura asked.

“Great,” Lee said.

“Good,” Zak said.

“Great and good; that’s what every teacher wants to hear.”

“I bet that’s what every student says about your class, Laura,” Bill said.

Laura smiled.  “I don’t know about that.  I’m kind of tough.”

“Good.  That’s what kids need.”

“Need isn’t the same as want.”

“I’m sure they want to please you.”

Laura shook her head.  Bill unknowingly recited her teaching philosophy.  It was uncanny.  “So, what did you learn today, boys?”

Lee said, “I learned how the Colonies were formed—“ 

“We started reading—“

“Hey!  You interrupted me, Zak” Lee said, with an accompanying elbow to Zak’s side.

“You interrupted me too!” Zak said, retaliating with an elbow of his own.

“Boys, you need to take turns.  I can’t listen to both of you at once, and I want to hear what both of you say.  Now, apologize.  Both of you.”

They muttered their apologies, which was the best Laura was hoping for.  Boys were the same across the colonies.  

“Now, Lee was talking first.  He gets to talk for one minute, and then it’s Zak’s turn.  We’ll keep going like that until you’re both finished.”

Bill smiled as he listened to the three of them interact.  He didn’t join the conversation much, but he listened to every word.  He knew he’d have to remember her trick after she left at the end of the week: It seemed more effective than punishing them had been.  

When they returned to Bill’s house, Laura suggested that the boys and Bill play pyramid while she started dinner.  Bill started to protest, offering his help, but Laura was firm that he should play with his sons, and Lee and Zak were delighted about it.

Bill, of course, was thrilled to have the chance to play with his sons.  He spent most of his leaves playing bad cop to Carolanne’s good cop.  One of his biggest regrets in life was how little he and Carolanne had talked about children and how they’d be raised.  They hadn’t really talked about much of anything throughout their courtship and the early stages of their marriage.  Bill had made a lot of assumptions about marriage.  He thought women naturally fell into the roles of wife and mother, and that they were all like his mother.  He was wrong.  Had they actually spoken about anything serious when they were dating, he would have realized that.  They could have begun the negotiation process—or figure out it wouldn’t work between them.  Of course, had they done things properly, there was a good chance he wouldn’t have his sons.  His marriage to Carolanne hadn’t turned out the way he’d hoped, but he got two wonderful boys out of it; that was enough.  

He was worried about what would happen if she divorced him.  Custody rights traditionally went to women in the colonies; although, that was beginning to change.  It didn’t matter.  He knew what his odds were—abysmal.  He had a high risk job that kept him away from Caprica months at a time.  There wasn’t a judge on the colony who’d award him custody.  

Perhaps, she’d change her mind.  She hadn’t mentioned anything to him.  It could have been one of her whims.  She’d had a lot of those over the years.  He wasn’t sure he wanted to stay married to her, though.  And he’d get visitation rights easily.  History taught him that Carolanne would want the break.  But what damage would she do them while he was gone?  

“Think fast, dad!” Lee said, as he threw the pyramid ball, breaking through Bill’s thoughts.

That was all it took for Bill to get back in the moment—with his sons.  He’d worry about that other stuff later.  It was time to spend quality time with the two people he loved most in the worlds.

Laura watched their game from the kitchen window.  Bill’s smile earlier had spoken loud and clear.  It didn’t seem like he was able to play with his sons much.  From what she’d discerned in the last day and a half, Laura figured Bill spent most of his leave time putting out fires.  She knew from experience that didn’t usually leave a lot of time for fun and games.  She was glad to be able to give him that time.  And she’d always enjoyed cooking.  It relaxed her and gave her a chance to think about other things.  

The boys were playing against Bill.  From the look of it, he was letting them win, but not too easily.  Laura watched as Lee explained something to Zak.  She guessed it was a complicated passing maneuver.  She’d been to enough pyramid games to watch her girls to have more than a passing familiarity with the sport.  Then she glanced at Bill’s face.  He was clearly proud of his sons and their teamwork.  Zak scored the winning point, and Bill lifted him in the air.  

Before she knew it, three hot and sweaty boys were in the kitchen with her.

“Guess what, Laura!”

“What, Zak?” She schooled her features carefully to look curious.

“I won the game.” 

The pride on the boy’s face indicated it was the first time he’d had such a success.  “That’s so great.  You must be very proud.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“We all are,” Bill said.

“Good.  Now, go get showered and changed.  All of you, and I’ll have dinner ready.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bill said, ushering the boys out with him.

Laura turned back to her task, smiling.  She heard Lee ask Bill why he listened to her, when they were out of the kitchen.  Bill said, “The lady’s in charge, boys.”  

That was enough of an explanation, it seemed.  Laura heard two sets of feet running up the stairs, and a larger set walking in a different direction upstairs.  The water was running in two locations, indicating her orders were being followed.  Laura smiled again. Then she finished the final touches on their dinner, before moving to set the table.  

  
  



End file.
